Ramsay and Soddy concluded from their experiments that the maximum
volume of emanation to be obtained from 1 gram of radium was about 1
cubic millimetre at standard pressure and temperature, and that the
emanation was produced from 1 gram of radium at the rate of 3 × 10⁻⁶ c.
mm. per second. This amount is in very good agreement with the
calculated value, and is a strong indication of the general correctness
of the theory on which the calculations are based.
=173. Spectrum of the emanation.= After the separation of the emanation
and the determination of its volume, Ramsay and Soddy made numerous
attempts to obtain its spectrum. In some of the earlier experiments
several bright lines were seen for a short time, but these lines were
soon masked by the appearance of the hydrogen lines. In later
experiments Ramsay and Collie[267] succeeded in obtaining a spectrum of
the emanation, which persisted for a short time, during which a rapid
determination of the wave-lengths was made. They state that the spectrum
was very brilliant, consisting of very bright lines, the spaces between
being perfectly dark. The spectrum bore a striking resemblance in
general character to the spectrum of the gases of the argon family.
The spectrum soon faded, and the spectrum of hydrogen began to appear.
The following table shows the wave-length of the lines observed in the
spectrum. The degree of coincidence of the lines of known wave-lengths
shows that the error is probably less than five Ångström units.
Wave-length Remarks
6567 Hydrogen C; true wave-length, 6563; observed each
time.
6307 Observed only at first; evanescent.
5975 „ „ „
5955 „ „ „
5805 Observed each time; persistent.
5790 Mercury; true wave-length, 5790.
5768 „ „ 5769.
5725 Observed only at first; evanescent.
5595 Observed each time; persistent and strong.
5465 Mercury; true wave-length, 5461.
5105 Not observed at first; appeared after some
seconds; persisted and was visible
during the second examination.
4985 Observed each time; persistent and strong.
4865 Hydrogen F; true wave-length, 4861.
4690 Observed only at first.
4650 Not observed when the emanation was examined
again.
4630 „ „ „
4360 Mercury: true wave-length, 4359.
The experiments were repeated with a new supply of emanation, and some
of the stronger lines were observed again, while some new lines made
their appearance. Ramsay and Collie suggest that the strong line 5595
may be identical with a line which was observed by Pickering[268] in the
spectrum of lightning, and was not identified with the spectrum of any
known gas.
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